Jim Russi
E d i t o r ’ s N o te Matt Luttrell
ome issues just don’t come together the way you plan them. In the
to walk the planet. Straight up. His cunningness. His wave selection,
surf media world, if mother nature decides to send a freak early
and the committed lines he draws on behemoth waves, positioning
season storm and delivers the perfect big wave paddle conditions
himself impossibly deep, and making waves that no mere mortal
for Jaws, things are bound to get bumped. To borrow one of my favorite
should be able to navigate. Speaking of the greatest, this month we
phrases from the tv show Workaholics, I was a little “butt hurt” that the
look at Sunset Beach and its long relationship with the greatest surfer
Sunset issue wasn’t going to have a picture of Sunset on the cover. But
ever, Kelly Slater.
when you look at that barrel that Shane Dorian is packing at Jaws, well, that stuff is absolutely ridiculous! How do you not put that on the cover?
Sunset is the spot that ruled the big wave surf world for 4 decades. While most automatically associate Pipeline with Kelly Slater, Sunset
Was it the day of days out at Jaws? It certainly was one of the glassiest
has also played a large role throughout his career. Let me be clear,
conditions that have been seen at the infamous Maui spot. But more than
this issue of Freesurf isn’t a dig at Kelly Slater. He is, unequivocally,
that, it was Shane Dorian throwing down another dominating performance
the greatest of all time. Seeing him continue to raise the bar of what
in waves of consequence. Who else besides Dorian can backdoor the
is possible in competitive surfing is a driving force of what makes
bowl at Jaws and consistently exits VW sized barrel on a constant basis?
surfing so interesting. Here’s to hoping Kelly decides to compete at
No one. While Greg Long, Mark Healy, Makua Rothman and Albee Layer
Sunset for the first time since 2004.
threw down great performances, in the end it was Shane Dorian who again claimed the sessions best rides.
Quite simply, Shane Dorian is unequivocally the greatest big wave surfer